Meet MSKTC Ambassador Allison Frederick
- Allison Frederick
Allison recently earned her Doctorate in Speech-Language Pathology (SLPD) from Northwestern University, sparking a newfound passion for process improvement and health literacy. Outside of her professional life, she enjoys relaxing at the beach and spending quality time at home with her beloved dog and cat.
Allison’s Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Journey
Allison is a certified brain injury specialist (CBIST) and speech-language pathologist (SLP) with over 15 years of experience in inpatient rehabilitation. She currently serves as the chairperson for Encompass Health Rehab of Vineland’s DSC Brain Injury Program, where she also teaches the CBIS exam prep course and facilitates the Brain Injury Support Group for Southern New Jersey.
Throughout her career, Allison has witnessed the profound challenges faced by individuals recovering from traumatic brain injury—cognitive fatigue, emotional instability, and the struggle to reclaim identity. Her approach centers on meeting each person where they are in their recovery journey, rather than where others expect them to be. This philosophy fosters trust, patience, and meaningful progress.
Allison’s dedication to education, advocacy, and compassionate care has empowered countless individuals and professionals alike. Her work reflects a deep commitment to helping people not only recover but thrive.
What does Allison think of the quality, usefulness, and user-friendliness of the MSKTC resources?
Allison values the MSKTC resources for their breadth and depth, noting how they cover a wide range of topics that support individuals with traumatic brain injury (TBI) and their caregivers throughout the recovery process. She especially appreciates the accessibility of evidence-based assessments and interventions, as well as the convenience of having current research consolidated in one place. For Allison, these resources are not only high-quality and useful, but also user-friendly and essential to informed, compassionate care.
Why does Allison want to be an MSKTC ambassador?
Allison is passionate about raising awareness of the valuable resources offered by MSKTC. She believes these tools can significantly enhance clinical practice for rehabilitation professionals while also empowering individuals with traumatic brain injury to lead rich, fulfilling lives. Her goal as an ambassador is to ensure more professionals know these resources exist and understand how impactful they can be in supporting recovery and long-term well-being.
What has Allison done as an MSKTC ambassador?
Allison advocates by sharing resources with colleagues, posting on social media about where they’re located and how to use them, and incorporating them into her hospital’s brain injury rehabilitation program.